Why We Fight: The Battle of Britain
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"The Battle of Britain," Chapter IV of Frank Capra's "Why We Fight"
series, begins after Hitler's conquest of Western Europe. Once firmly
in control of the parts of France and Norway closest to Great Britain,
the Nazis commence their massive air assault on the British isles.
Outnumbered six to one, the fighters of the Royal Air Force defend their
skies against the Luftwaffe for close to four months. Capra embellishes
the British successes, for example the film claims the RAF fought 200
dogfights in the first thirty minutes of the battle alone, and that by
the end of the first month they had destroyed 900 German planes. (In
truth, the number is closer to 260). However, the success of the
British defenses forced the Germans to change strategies, switching to
more frightening night raids that terrorized London. But the British
resolve won the day, in grand fashion. The film claims total German
losses of more than 2,700. The real number is closer to 1,600. The number of downed British planes equaled approximately half that of Germany.
series, begins after Hitler's conquest of Western Europe. Once firmly
in control of the parts of France and Norway closest to Great Britain,
the Nazis commence their massive air assault on the British isles.
Outnumbered six to one, the fighters of the Royal Air Force defend their
skies against the Luftwaffe for close to four months. Capra embellishes
the British successes, for example the film claims the RAF fought 200
dogfights in the first thirty minutes of the battle alone, and that by
the end of the first month they had destroyed 900 German planes. (In
truth, the number is closer to 260). However, the success of the
British defenses forced the Germans to change strategies, switching to
more frightening night raids that terrorized London. But the British
resolve won the day, in grand fashion. The film claims total German
losses of more than 2,700. The real number is closer to 1,600. The number of downed British planes equaled approximately half that of Germany.
- Addeddate
- 2005-08-31 11:07:51
- Color
- color
- Identifier
- BattleOfBritain
- Sound
- sound
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Reviews
(7)
Reviewer:
greg7633
-
May 9, 2025
Subject: The RAF committed War Crimes
Subject: The RAF committed War Crimes
General Mohnke.
I was at a command post when I saw British pilots attack French refugees who were coming back to Caen, against our wishes, to see the damage. ... The Allies bombed many Norman towns so they could deny us cover. I saw the many corpses that were left after these actions, which our boys had to help bury.
odysee dot com/ at louismarschalko:2/General-Wilhelm-Mohnke:1
(700,000 Phosphorus bombs were dropped on Dresden, deliberately killing over 500,000---During this time there were more than 1,2 Million people in Dresden, 600,000 Dresden citizens, plus 600,000 refugees from Breslau). whale dot to/b/bombing_ger dot html
British War Crimes RAF attacks and sinkings of the Cap Arcona and Thielbek 1945 - On the Cap Arcona alone, more than 5,000 perished.
odysee dot com/@louismarschalko:2/Cap-Arcona:f
I was at a command post when I saw British pilots attack French refugees who were coming back to Caen, against our wishes, to see the damage. ... The Allies bombed many Norman towns so they could deny us cover. I saw the many corpses that were left after these actions, which our boys had to help bury.
odysee dot com/ at louismarschalko:2/General-Wilhelm-Mohnke:1
(700,000 Phosphorus bombs were dropped on Dresden, deliberately killing over 500,000---During this time there were more than 1,2 Million people in Dresden, 600,000 Dresden citizens, plus 600,000 refugees from Breslau). whale dot to/b/bombing_ger dot html
British War Crimes RAF attacks and sinkings of the Cap Arcona and Thielbek 1945 - On the Cap Arcona alone, more than 5,000 perished.
odysee dot com/@louismarschalko:2/Cap-Arcona:f
Reviewer:
nrt77
-
March 14, 2025
Subject: The Allies planned the War and butchered their way through Europe.Hitler offered peace 24 times.
Subject: The Allies planned the War and butchered their way through Europe.Hitler offered peace 24 times.
The Story of Waffen SS Leon Degrelle
Summer of 1939 f Britain and France were secretly negotiating a full military alliance with the Soviet Union. The ... talks in Moscow and minutes were signed by Marshal Zhukov. I have these minutes in my possession. They are stupefying. a report guaranteeing Britain and France of Soviet participation against Germany. Upon ratification the Soviet Union was to provide the Anglo-French forces with Soviet support of 5500 combat planes immediately plus the back up of the entire Soviet air force. Between 9,000 to 10,000 tanks also be made available. In return, the So-viet Union demanded the Baltic states and access to Poland. The plan an early joint attack.Germany still minimally armed . French realized 10,000 Soviet tanks would destroy the 2000 German tanks but did not see unlikely to Stop at French border. British government would let Soviets take over Europe.P14
odysee dot com/ at louismarschalko:2/TheStoryOfTheWaffenSS_LeonDegrelle:5
Summer of 1939 f Britain and France were secretly negotiating a full military alliance with the Soviet Union. The ... talks in Moscow and minutes were signed by Marshal Zhukov. I have these minutes in my possession. They are stupefying. a report guaranteeing Britain and France of Soviet participation against Germany. Upon ratification the Soviet Union was to provide the Anglo-French forces with Soviet support of 5500 combat planes immediately plus the back up of the entire Soviet air force. Between 9,000 to 10,000 tanks also be made available. In return, the So-viet Union demanded the Baltic states and access to Poland. The plan an early joint attack.Germany still minimally armed . French realized 10,000 Soviet tanks would destroy the 2000 German tanks but did not see unlikely to Stop at French border. British government would let Soviets take over Europe.P14
odysee dot com/ at louismarschalko:2/TheStoryOfTheWaffenSS_LeonDegrelle:5
Reviewer:
sirderek
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
July 11, 2011
Subject: The R.A.F. were the best!!
Subject: The R.A.F. were the best!!
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Reviewer:
abarsby
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 28, 2011
Subject: Permission to use this clip
Subject: Permission to use this clip
I'm interested in using this clip in a movie i'm involved in. I see it has a creative commons public domain licence. Would we be able to get written permission
...
to use this clip (would have to be cleared for use worldwide in perpetuity) if we attribute its source properly? Let me know if this is possible.
Reviewer:
Neil Hoskins
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
November 15, 2007
Subject: Common People
Subject: Common People
I don't see how you can say this film doesn't feature ordinary, common people: it's full of them. The target audience, as well as US servicemen, was Rosie
...
the Riveter and her friends, who by that stage of the war were turning the tide decisively. It's therefore showing lots of people in factories, working on despite the hardships. It's hoped that Rosie will think, "If the Brits can do it while they're being bombed, then I can do it". You should also never underestimate the role played by Churchill. There were powerful voices after Dunkirk who were calling for Vichy-style capitulation. Hitler always said we could keep our empire if he had free rein in Europe. Churchill, like my other hero De Gaulle, was having none of it.
The other propaganda factor, the "underdog" aspect, is probably over-played at this point: modern historians are starting to say that even if the RAF had been defeated, the invasion wouldn't have been the walkover everybody seems to think. Even once the RAF had been defeated, the Royal Navy would have played havoc with the invasion fleet.
There are various things missing (not surprisingly, given the period) from this film. What is more surprising is that they get left out of modern histories, too.
- Radar
- The RAF didn't just 'hold out' against the Luftwaffe, it utterly defeated it and gained air superiority.
- At the height of the defensive battle, Bomber Command managed to send light bombers over to bomb the German invasion fleet, just in case the Germans needed a reminder that they needed air superiority to mount an invasion. That's why there used to be a Blenheim in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, until some oik pranged it.
- The attack was switched to London after Hitler had a tantrum following a Doolittle-style raid by Wellingtons on Berlin. It was a stupid change in tactics, but not as stupid as people think, because it still brought the fighters up where they could be attacked.
The other propaganda factor, the "underdog" aspect, is probably over-played at this point: modern historians are starting to say that even if the RAF had been defeated, the invasion wouldn't have been the walkover everybody seems to think. Even once the RAF had been defeated, the Royal Navy would have played havoc with the invasion fleet.
There are various things missing (not surprisingly, given the period) from this film. What is more surprising is that they get left out of modern histories, too.
- Radar
- The RAF didn't just 'hold out' against the Luftwaffe, it utterly defeated it and gained air superiority.
- At the height of the defensive battle, Bomber Command managed to send light bombers over to bomb the German invasion fleet, just in case the Germans needed a reminder that they needed air superiority to mount an invasion. That's why there used to be a Blenheim in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, until some oik pranged it.
- The attack was switched to London after Hitler had a tantrum following a Doolittle-style raid by Wellingtons on Berlin. It was a stupid change in tactics, but not as stupid as people think, because it still brought the fighters up where they could be attacked.
Reviewer:
interested
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
December 26, 2006
Subject: Response to shaddows ww2 post
Subject: Response to shaddows ww2 post
The film, is a very realistic recognition of
The Battle of Britain. Oh my god what an insult to the FEW SURVIVORS OF WW2, is your reference claiming that ... the content does not respectfully reflect the real people of that time. Or their society, which was firmly bonded in the singular togetherness of a kindred spirit.
The Battle of Britain. Oh my god what an insult to the FEW SURVIVORS OF WW2, is your reference claiming that ... the content does not respectfully reflect the real people of that time. Or their society, which was firmly bonded in the singular togetherness of a kindred spirit.
Reviewer:
Shadows WW2
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
February 27, 2006
Subject: 'Real people that won the war'
Subject: 'Real people that won the war'
Articulate and very informative however for me it does not look at real society in Britain at that period. What is missing is what I call real people back
...
then who have come from many backgrounds, mainly conscripted from two up two down back streets of Britian. Often called the 'Tin Bath Brigade'. I am making a film at this moment about such people, who were told after the war to'go home and not to speak of the war'. Contrary to belief Churchill did not win the war these people did, he was though at its helm.Good film but not in touch with the real people of Britian at that time!
There are 7 reviews for this item. .